Dipset is for Diplomats

While the Civil, Women’s, and Gay Rights Movements, along with their aesthetics and strategies, seem like they burned out a long time ago, the enduring action on Prop 8 has proven that the end of that era was not the end of the issues.

An Exclusive from Funny or Die*

Prop 8 has refocused the country’s attention on homophobia. And while for many, the fight against homophobia is a daily struggle, there are some out there claiming it is returning to the United States and implying that for some period of time it had left. But recently I have been thinking of what it is about the way this fight has been presented that could have given that impression. The impression that the period between the first Gay Rights Movement and now was a sort of gender paradise.

Without sounding like an anarchist, I think it has to do with the weight we put on the law as the source and goal for political and social power – ignoring the potential for our popular culture to proliferate and normalize biased attitudes.

I recently saw a video by hip hop vlogger, Jay Smooth,* where he gives a brief explanation of the phrase “No Homo,” and his own feelings on its use.



That homophobia runs rampant in hip hop is no secret. Cam'ron’s explanation of the phrase “No Homo” and why he uses it, exposes its ridiculous nature and gives a sense of how ideas promoted by popular culture are often absorbed into everyday actions. To be clear, this is not an argument for the Hip Hop Created Homophobia camp. Just like hip hop didn’t invent sexism, black-on-black crime or either of those terms, hip hop did not create homophobia. Brad Paisley’s “I’m Still A Guy,” is a close country parallel to all of the “No Homo” catchphrases. But whether you watch CMT or BET, it is important to notice the ways popular culture hides and normalizes homophobia in jokes, music, cartoons, etc…

Like Jay Smooth touched on, the times when satire and rejection are confused with endorsement are important to think about as well. YouTube has hundreds of “No Homo” home-video spoofs. But for many of them, it’s hard to tell which way they go. And the time wondering if the authors think saying “No Homo” is okay or not okay is the exact space where popular culture blindfolds us to the fact that if we heard the things they are saying without any knowledge of their intentions, we would find them to be offensive.

It is hard to say what would have happened had Prop 8 failed. The absence of homophobia is not equal to the force of anti-homophobic action. In the same way that the ignorance to homophobia does not guarantee its absence. But it is interesting to think of how much credit the law could take for the homophobia expressed in our pop culture, and how much credit pop culture could take for the homophobia in our politics.



*NOTE: In case anyone is interested in citing sources…

Jay Smooth’s blog (illdoctrine.com) is dope and you should check it out. He also has a program on WBAI, called the Underground Railroad – a show on Underground Hip Hop and culture. WBAI (99.5 FM) is “Your Peace and Justice Community Radio Station” and definitely worth listening to.

I found “Prop 8: The Musical” on Kanye West’s blog. He posts photos and videos and some articles of things he likes and that peak his interest in just about all areas, from fashion to architecture to political satire things like Prop 8: The Musical.